Maple Leafs youngster Easton Cowan outshines some veterans

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Easton Cowan injected some of the elixir of youth and enthusiasm into the Maple Leafs on Monday, which is timely for a team whose veterans are trying to shake off the rust.

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With a 1-2 record in games that oscillated between slow starts and strong finishes, a last-minute 3-2 home loss to the Detroit Red Wings left coach Craig Berube wondering how long it will take his club to find its groove.

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Our takeaways from the Scotiabank Arena fall:

SHOW UP COWBOY

Cowan had everything but a victory to celebrate in his NHL Christeninga day that began with the rookie's singles skating in the warm-up, with many of his former London Knights teammates and friends from the Mount Bridges farming community catching his eye in the stands. Some wore his old knight's sweater backwards, with his family name on the front.

A blocked shot on his first shift, then a hit that created a turnover, just three pushes to tie the game for the team lead, and then a late-shift coach assignment to try and tie the game at 6-on-5 gave Cowan instant front-line chemistry with Auston Matthews and Matthew Nice.

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The talk may not have been so premature that the first-round pick was ready to hit the ice in prime time after a more conservative approach was adopted, starting him on the right wing of the fourth unit.

“I went out there and played freely and felt like I created a lot,” said Cowan, whose Leafs cap still looks too big for his baby face.

What coach Berube liked was his willingness to get physical. Not that Max Domi shied away from it in his only exhibition game as first choice at right side, but Cowan made a bigger impact than Matthias Macchelli, who is still searching for his best form.

Cowan was proud of the fact that he put on weight this summer and even grew a little in his six-foot radius while maintaining the puck sense to find Matthews, Nice or Toronto's mobile defense in traffic. His score sheet for 13:35 even included 30 seconds of power play.

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“Great game,” Berube said. “Five feet of passes all over the ice. He's completely different (than last year), much more confident. Direct. Skates a lot better.”

BREAK IT OUT

If Cowan stays with Matthews, it will create an interesting situation below deck when Stephen Lorenz is ready to play again. Berube said that's a possibility Tuesday here against Nashville after Lorenz was spooked in the first period of Saturday's loss to Motown.

In the fourth line/bottom six were Toronto's best players Lorenz, Scott Laughton before his foot injury, and the biggest offensive surprise, Calle Jarnkrok, who scored three goals in as many games. That's Mats Sundin-William Nylander's pace when it comes to Swedish-born Leaf forwards.

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“He comes out every shift and just works. That's his game,” Berube praised after Jarnkrok fed Nys a pass to tie the game at 2-2 Monday with 6:42 left in regulation.

Earlier, Bobby McMann replaced Cowan, rolled down the boards and set up Nice. Maccelli appeared Monday on the left wing along with John Tavares and William Nylander.

For his part, Matthews got stuck in the early going, scoring into an empty net, but Detroit's Cam Talbot thwarted him single-handedly and with a great rebound.

“Auston gets a lot of opportunities (eight of Toronto's 41 hits on Talbot),” Berube said, not taking advantage of his captain's superpower.

It's also unusual to see Matthews have more penalty minutes (four) than points, but let's remember that October is only two weeks away.

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MY LEGS ARE NOT FAILING ME NOW

With Toronto tied for fourth in power play chances (six) on Monday, it underestimates the lack of forechecking and speed it is known for to force penalties from opponents.

The Leafs' long-awaited first lead on Monday was just 1:25, sandwiched between their two minors while a full chance in the third period failed to find the back of the net. This is where Matthews, Nylander and John Tavares, who can also use his first goal at any time, can get back on the horse.

GROUNDHOG DAYS

Tuesday is a situation the Leafs can't grumble about.

You don't need a plane to get home and then back to the rink for extra practice before the game against the Predators, who were also at work Monday afternoon after beating Ottawa 4-1.

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“It’s unusual, but I’ve had them in the past,” Berube said. “We don't have to travel, so the next day is a little different (than home-road). With a 2 o'clock start, the guys will be well rested, we'll bring them in in the morning and do some things, watch some (videos).”

They'll get a steady diet of regular back-to-back games in the coming weeks, including another home game on Nov. 8-9 against Boston and Carolina. That, along with seven home trips before the New Year, are part of a shortened schedule this season to allow the NHL to compete in the Olympics in February, which players have lobbied for.

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